Low Cortisol and Adrenal Fatigue

May 17th, 2012

Yesterday we talked about adrenal fatigue
and gave you some suggestions on how to
boost adrenal function. Today as promised,
we’ll address the topic of low cortisol
and adrenal fatigue because to some
people it seems hard to overcome adrenal
exhaustion, and the answer could be in their
cortisol levels.

For example, last week Mary wrote and
said:

“I was wondering if you could give more
advice about adrenals fatigue, I am taking
all kinds of support but they still are
overworked. Of course with adrenals over
worked so is the thyroid, Just can win.
Which also affects my digestion – nothing
seems to be helping. Thank you for your
time.”

So here we go Mary, and any of you dealing
with this issue.

As you know the adrenal cortex produce
many hormones including cortisol and as
adrenal fatigue advances the levels of
cortisol become erratic varying between
high, very high and to some, low.

That’s why cortisol and adrenal fatigue
are closely related, and adrenal exhaustion
affects the function of the thyroid gland..
this gland, which is key to keep us healthy,
has to put an extra effort to cover the
adrenals that are sooo tired to work
properly.

In regards to cortisol, this hormone plays
key roles:

It assists the metabolism of proteins, carbs
and fats, combats inflammation, affects
blood sugar levels (certain levels of glucose
in the cells are needed by your cell receptors
to incorporate T3 from the blood into your
cells) and it helps us deal with stress – that
is a huge issue these days!

Now, among the symptoms of low cortisol
we can find:

Depression, allergies, low blood pressure,
low temperature, low sugar levels, joint
and muscle pain, muscle weakness, fatigue,
loss of appetite, mood changes, clumsiness,
sleep problems, outbursts of anger, feeling
light headed, and darkening of skin including
moles and freckles.

Low cortisol can not only cause all these
varied symptoms BUT, it can also perpetuate
your hypothyroid symptoms!.

OK, now let’s move on to…

What can you do to treat low cortisol?

Luckily there are options, both synthetic
and natural.

The thing with the synthetic one is that
many doctors refrain from treating low
cortisol levels with HC or hydrocortisone
unless the individual has been diagnosed
with full-blown adrenal disease but…

The fact is that lots of patients experiencing
moderate to severe adrenal fatigue, and whom
have tried tons of natural things with no luck,
do well on this medicine. What some doctors
suggest then is to start with a very low dose
and bring it up as needed; this way the patient
has time to see if she or he reacts negatively
to hydrocortisone.

The other thing is to use it for a short
period of time, 3 or 4 months, until the
adrenals recover to a point where you can
switch to a more natural and safe option,
or lower the dose and combine it with an
herbal remedy for example.

Some also suggest not to take it past 2pm,
and to adjust the dose every 4 to 7 days
until you find what works for you.

In terms of natural options it’s worth
mentioning the following — cuz as you know
it, one or a combination of these could prove
to be enough to some persons:

Asian ginseng, licorice root (not the candy!),
Echinacea, 7-keto DHEA, or DHEA.

In any event, we suggest that consult your
physician or natural health care provider to
rule out low cortisol and treat it accordingly.

A very effective test to confirm this is the
24 hour saliva test by the way.

In general, high cortisol levels are linked
to adrenal malfunction but as you can see
the link between low cortisol and adrenal
fatigue also exists!

To health, joy and empowerment,

Monica

P.S. No need to be shy… feel free to
leave your comments or feedback below.

—–
The Hypothyroid Diet – 7 Day Menu Plan & Recipes

Simple to follow diet and lifestyle principles that
will enhance the function of your thyroid gland. Burn
extra body fat, boost your energy levels, sleep better,
feel happier. Learn how to choose the right foods for
You as well as which you should avoid. Discover what
makes the thyroid strong – and what makes it sluggish.
For more details visit,
http://www.lowthyroidhelp.com/hypothyroid_diet.html

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Hypothyroidism and Natural Health | No Comments »

Adrenal Fatigue and Treatment Options

May 16th, 2012

One of the things I’ve experienced first
hand is adrenal fatigue. A couple of years
ago as you may know it, I had a major
health crisis that included adrenal burn
out… and what a burn out!

The adrenals, which are two glands found
on top of the kidneys, produce not only
hormones, which include cortisol, estrogen,
progesterone and steroids but also
chemicals.

These chemicals are dopamine, adrenalin
(or epinephrine) and norepinephrine.

Now, guess what?

All the hormones produced by our very
good friends, the adrenals, come from…
cholesterol!!

That’s right, and that is why we’ve said
it so many times… cholesterol is not only
good but necessary!

So, the hormones produced by the adrenals
are derived from cholesterol and these
hormones are the ones that helps us deal
with:

Inflammation, trauma, stress and very
important, the healing process of our
body.

These glands help regulate:
growth, blood pressure, heart rate, blood
sugar levels, metabolism, the conversion of
fats, carbs and proteins in energy and some
sexual functions.

What about the symptoms of adrenal
fatigue?

They are many and can vary from person to
person but here are some of the most
common:

Low thyroid, chronic fatigue, insomnia,
waking up tired, cravings for salty or
sweet foods, brain fog, poor digestion, PMS,
sensitivity to cold, irritable bowel syndrome,
allergies, low sexual drive, low or excessive
appetite, weakness, hypoglycemia, anxiety,
panic attacks, depression, low blood pressure
and low immune function.

It’s important to know that there are levels
of adrenal fatigue and depending on how mild
or strong the condition is, different treatment
options apply.

Before we talk about simple, practical
and effective things you can do to treat
adrenal burn out let’s mention some typical
causes for adrenal fatigue…

Chronic stress either mental, emotional,
physical and/or spiritual, anxiety, strong
feelings of anger, guilt and fear, too much
exercise, trauma, injuries, sleep deprivation,
excessive consumption of carbs and sweets,
low protein and low fat diets, chemical
toxicity, being exposed to extreme
temperatures, chronic illness, inflammation
and/or pain.

OK, now let’s mention some of the basic
things that support adrenal health:

* First of all, considering that low adrenal
function is linked to fat deficiency, it’s
key to include in your diet foods that
provide your body with cholesterol.

Eggs, meats, seafood, coconut oil
and butter are good examples.

These foods contain fat soluble vitamins,
A, E and D, being vitamin A of paramount
importance.

Why?

Cuz the adrenals need vitamin A to produce
its hormones out of cholesterol!

* Since the adrenals regulate blood sugar
levels, simply avoid sweets and high
glycemic carbohydrates.

* In general, eat more protein than carbs,
(this means limiting your fruit intake), and
add dietary supplements such as:

Vitamin B complex, vitamin C, calcium,
magnesium, and zinc.

* Also switch to ocean salt because the
adrenals NEED salt (but a good one), to
function properly.

* Avoid caffeine, which makes the adrenals
work harder, and engage in stress reducing
activities you really enjoy and help you

* Dry skin brushing, reflexology, power naps,
sound sleep and deep breathing exercises
also assist adrenal recovery.

* Adaptogenic herbs such as Rhodiola
Rosea and Ashwagandha are also
wonderful options for ‘most’ people dealing
with adrenal fatigue.

Please note that some persons may have
negative reactions to these herbs but
they are often recommended to people going
through high levels of stress.

Well, next time we’ll discuss options that
address severe adrenal fatigue because
at times there are other factors involved,
which can make it tricky to recover from
adrenal bur out. The good news is that
there are always options :)

Until then!

Wishing you a vibrant and joyful day,

Monica

P.S. No need to be shy… feel free to
leave your comments or feedback below.

—–
The Hypothyroid Diet – 7 Day Menu Plan & Recipes

Simple to follow diet and lifestyle principles that
will enhance the function of your thyroid gland. Burn
extra body fat, boost your energy levels, sleep better,
feel happier. Learn how to choose the right foods for
You as well as which you should avoid. Discover what
makes the thyroid strong – and what makes it sluggish.
For more details visit,
http://www.lowthyroidhelp.com/hypothyroid_diet.html

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Hypothyroidism and Natural Health | 1 Comment »

Eradicated Thyroid Treatment Options

May 10th, 2012

One of the common questions people who have
had their thyroid eradicated is… what can
I do to feel better and promote well being.

In fact, some days ago we received this from
one of our readers..

Q:

I had a hyperthyroid back in 1986, and it had
to be eradicated with iodine isotopes. Since
I no longer have a thyroid, I take synthroid.
My level changes often, and causes much
headaches, and weight problems. Any info you
have for this problem would be greatly
appreciated. Cheryl

—

Cheryl, as you know we asked our contributor
and naturopathic doctor, Duncan Capicchiano
to answer this question but before we get
going with his suggestions we’d like to
mention a few things:

One is that it can be tricky to get to the
ideal dose of medicine for You, and that it
may take up to a year to figure out how
much you need and when. Some people whose
thyroid has been eradicated discover
that they need to split the dose using
different amounts in the morning and in the
evening.

The other things is that some individuals
have found that by taking different doses
each day they feel much better… they go
by their symptoms.

The last thing is that we’d like to suggest
to consider other types of thyroid hormone
because it may be that your body responds
better to other type of medicine.

Now let’s see what Duncan Capicciano, ND.
has to say..

A:

Hi Cheryl,

Yes this is a common problem (unfortunately),
but thankfully there is still much you can
do to feel healthy and normal again.

If you have purchased my ebook,
The Hypothyroidism Solution
(thank you very much), then you can still
follow the program as outlined (starting at
Phrase “0”), even though you have no thyroid.

This can confuse people, as many think what
will the natural supplements do if there is
no working thyroid to treat, but what the
natural supplements do is make the synthroid,
or other hormone drugs, work better within the
body. Namely by making the body utilise the
synthetic hormones better, by being more
receptive to them.

Just like the body can become insulin
resistant, the body can also become resistant
to thyroid hormones, both natural and
artificial forms. And this is why Phase 0
(The Cleanse) of my program is so crucial, as
it is cleans out the “filters” of the body
(as you would a car) to prime and prepare the
body to utilise the goodness of the diet and
supplements laid within.

I hope this helps, and I hope you gain much
success in following my program.

To your Optimum Health,
Duncan

—-

Well, it’s good to remember that despite the
fact medicine is indeed needed for certain
specific circumstances (in this case an
eradicated thyroid) still Mother Nature can
help one’s body to regain its balance in a
more effective way.

We are huge advocates of herbal and natural
medicine and know how effective the program
created by Dr. Capicchiano is. If you don’t
have it we invite you to get it and learn
more about other ways to assist your body.

Who knows Cheryl, it could be that down
the road your body responds in such positive
way that all those nagging symptoms disappear
and you need much less medicine.

Trust your body, feed it well and don’t give
up until yo find the best answers for you :)

Wishing you all health and joy,

Monica

P.S. No need to be shy… feel free to
leave your comments or feedback below.

—–
The Hypothyroid Diet – 7 Day Menu Plan & Recipes

Simple to follow diet and lifestyle principles that
will enhance the function of your thyroid gland. Burn
extra body fat, boost your energy levels, sleep better,
feel happier. Learn how to choose the right foods for
You as well as which you should avoid. Discover what
makes the thyroid strong – and what makes it sluggish.
For more details visit,
http://www.lowthyroidhelp.com/hypothyroid_diet.html

Tags: ,
Posted in Hypothyroidism and Natural Health | 2 Comments »

« Older Entries